[SET]
name: Sand Rush
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Rock Slide / Iron Head
move 4: Rapid Spin / Iron Head
item: Air Balloon / Leftovers
ability: Sand Rush
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Rock / Dragon / Ground / Electric
[SET COMMENTS]
Sand Rush Excadrill is a deadly threat being a great sweeper, wallbreaker, and revenge killer thanks to the combination of Swords Dance and it outpacing the entire boosted metagame under sand. Rock Slide does heavy damage to Zapdos, Mandibuzz, and Tornadus-T. Rapid Spin is primarily for the utility it brings with removing hazards; however, it can potentially prevent Excadrill from being revenge killed once sand has subsided. Iron Head can be used over Rapid Spin if the team is not pressured by hazards as much, which can help it break past Hydrapple and Latios more easily. It can be used over Rock Slide but it should be paired with Tera Electric otherwise it will be unable to get past Zapdos. Air Balloon provides some utility against Sandy Shocks, Rhyperior, and opposing Excadrill but Leftovers can be used for passive recovery. Life Orb can be considered as it notably allows you to KO Zapdos and Slowking after a Swords Dance though it will cut into Excadrill's longevity and potentially bring it into range of priority from Lokix and Keldeo. A Jolly nature is primarily used outside of sand to outspeed Kommo-o and Speed tie with opposing Excadrill. It does let Excadrill outpace Battle Bond-activated Greninja under sand; however, it would be reliant on a defensive Tera to take Water Shuriken. An Adamant nature can be used to help improve the chances of KOing Pokemon like Slowking after a Swords Dance. Tera Rock increases the damage of Rock Slide to KO Mandibuzz and Zapdos and the Special Defense boost under sand can help it beat foes like Hydrapple and take priority from Keldeo and Greninja better. Tera Dragon provides many useful resistances notably letting it take priority hits from Greninja and Azumarill. Tera Ground provides a boost to Earthquake allowing Excadrill to KO Slowking at +2 and remove its weakness to opposing Excadrill. Other Tera options are also great on Excadrill such as Fairy to beat Mandibuzz and Kommo-o reliably, Fire to have a better matchup against Skeledirge, Ghost can help against Kommo-o and if running Air Balloon beat Ursaluna.
Excadrill fits best on offensive teams that can break down defensive structures to help Excadrill sweep more easily. Sand is essential so Tyranitar or Hippowdon are mandatory partners, both being able to set Stealth Rock to help potentially bring foes into KO range. Tyranitar can help check and pressure Mandibuzz and Zapdos for Excadrill as well as force damage on other common answers like Kommo-o and Keldeo. Alternatively, Hippowdon offers a sturdy check to opposing Excadrill and can afford to run Smooth Rock more easily due to having reliable recovery in Smooth Rock. Lokix can revenge kill Excadrill with minor chip so a partner like Zapdos or Cobalion can keep it in check, the latter can run Stealth Rock to allow for Excadrill's partner Tyranitar to run a more offensive set. Azumarill is easily one of the deadliest threats to sand teams so partners like Volcanion, Rotom-W, and the aforementioned Zapdos are excellent teammates, all also having favorable matchups into rain teams. Rotom-W is a huge roadblock for Excadrill so it is essential to run partners that can overwhelm it like Latios and Keldeo are great. Keldeo in particular can encourage other common Excadrill answers like Latios, Hydrapple, and Sinistcha to switch into it and heavily dent them, or in Hydrapple's case OHKO, with Icy Wind. Hydrapple is another partner that can pressure Rotom-W but also deals with other Pokemon like Slowking, Ogerpon, and Zarude for Excadrill. Mandibuzz can help pivot into Ogerpon and opposing Excadrill as well as provide Defog support, freeing up Excadrill to run Iron Head over Rapid Spin.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/twilight.344575/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/monky25.515132/
Grammar checked by:
name: Sand Rush
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Rock Slide / Iron Head
move 4: Rapid Spin / Iron Head
item: Air Balloon / Leftovers
ability: Sand Rush
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Rock / Dragon / Ground / Electric
[SET COMMENTS]
Sand Rush Excadrill is a deadly threat being a great sweeper, wallbreaker, and revenge killer thanks to the combination of Swords Dance and it outpacing the entire boosted metagame under sand. Rock Slide does heavy damage to Zapdos, Mandibuzz, and Tornadus-T. Rapid Spin is primarily for the utility it brings with removing hazards; however, it can potentially prevent Excadrill from being revenge killed once sand has subsided. Iron Head can be used over Rapid Spin if the team is not pressured by hazards as much, which can help it break past Hydrapple and Latios more easily. It can be used over Rock Slide but it should be paired with Tera Electric otherwise it will be unable to get past Zapdos. Air Balloon provides some utility against Sandy Shocks, Rhyperior, and opposing Excadrill but Leftovers can be used for passive recovery. Life Orb can be considered as it notably allows you to KO Zapdos and Slowking after a Swords Dance though it will cut into Excadrill's longevity and potentially bring it into range of priority from Lokix and Keldeo. A Jolly nature is primarily used outside of sand to outspeed Kommo-o and Speed tie with opposing Excadrill. It does let Excadrill outpace Battle Bond-activated Greninja under sand; however, it would be reliant on a defensive Tera to take Water Shuriken. An Adamant nature can be used to help improve the chances of KOing Pokemon like Slowking after a Swords Dance. Tera Rock increases the damage of Rock Slide to KO Mandibuzz and Zapdos and the Special Defense boost under sand can help it beat foes like Hydrapple and take priority from Keldeo and Greninja better. Tera Dragon provides many useful resistances notably letting it take priority hits from Greninja and Azumarill. Tera Ground provides a boost to Earthquake allowing Excadrill to KO Slowking at +2 and remove its weakness to opposing Excadrill. Other Tera options are also great on Excadrill such as Fairy to beat Mandibuzz and Kommo-o reliably, Fire to have a better matchup against Skeledirge, Ghost can help against Kommo-o and if running Air Balloon beat Ursaluna.
Excadrill fits best on offensive teams that can break down defensive structures to help Excadrill sweep more easily. Sand is essential so Tyranitar or Hippowdon are mandatory partners, both being able to set Stealth Rock to help potentially bring foes into KO range. Tyranitar can help check and pressure Mandibuzz and Zapdos for Excadrill as well as force damage on other common answers like Kommo-o and Keldeo. Alternatively, Hippowdon offers a sturdy check to opposing Excadrill and can afford to run Smooth Rock more easily due to having reliable recovery in Smooth Rock. Lokix can revenge kill Excadrill with minor chip so a partner like Zapdos or Cobalion can keep it in check, the latter can run Stealth Rock to allow for Excadrill's partner Tyranitar to run a more offensive set. Azumarill is easily one of the deadliest threats to sand teams so partners like Volcanion, Rotom-W, and the aforementioned Zapdos are excellent teammates, all also having favorable matchups into rain teams. Rotom-W is a huge roadblock for Excadrill so it is essential to run partners that can overwhelm it like Latios and Keldeo are great. Keldeo in particular can encourage other common Excadrill answers like Latios, Hydrapple, and Sinistcha to switch into it and heavily dent them, or in Hydrapple's case OHKO, with Icy Wind. Hydrapple is another partner that can pressure Rotom-W but also deals with other Pokemon like Slowking, Ogerpon, and Zarude for Excadrill. Mandibuzz can help pivot into Ogerpon and opposing Excadrill as well as provide Defog support, freeing up Excadrill to run Iron Head over Rapid Spin.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/twilight.344575/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/monky25.515132/
Grammar checked by:
Last edited: